


The aftermath of Sodden Hill

by Stephaniet_99



Category: The Witcher (TV)
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-01-20
Updated: 2020-01-27
Packaged: 2021-02-25 13:01:15
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 2,702
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22336405
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Stephaniet_99/pseuds/Stephaniet_99
Summary: The battle of Sodden Hill is over but what price is there to be paid. Geralt will find out as he and Ciri, newly reunited, travel to what's left of the battle field to find Yennefer and by God Geralt prayers she is alive. Mature for later chapters.
Relationships: Geralt z Rivii | Geralt of Rivia/Yennefer z Vengerbergu | Yennefer of Vengerberg
Comments: 9
Kudos: 53





	1. The finding of Yennefer

Saying that Geralt was shocked was an understand statement, he never would of thought he would see Ciri again especially here. She asked him a question but he was still stunned at her presence that it fell on death ears.  
“W-what are you doing here” he asked holding her at arms length so he could study her, trying to determine if this was an illusion, maybe his mind was still recovering from his previous health.  
“There’s no time to really explain, I don’t know how or why but we need to find her, I think she is in trouble” Ciri answered, her usual sweet voice was tainted with fear.  
“You shouldn’t be here, you should be somewhere safe. Where is the Queen ?” He asked, confusion written all over his face. Ciri noticed he wasn’t really paying attention to her, it was as if he thought she wasn’t really here and he was looking right through her.  
“Geralt!” She finally shouted. He looked down at her and it was as if he finally knew she was here, standing in front of him.  
“I had a vision of a battle, you were there. Rather you were there after it was over. You were looking for someone. It was so real and you screamed her name in the dark. You screamed for Yennefer” Ciri noticed that she finally had his fall attention.  
“Yennefer .... where?” Was all he said, his expression had now changed entirely. Once shocked and lost to determination and fear.  
“I don’t know, it was hard to make out but the people who took me in mentioned something about a battle. Come I’ll take you to them” she grabbed his hand. Without a moment to loose Ciri ran through the woods to the cottage with Geralt right behind her. He was still in disbelief about Ciri really being here but Yeneffer needed, his yen. 

After much discussion from the merchant and his wife, Geralt headed outside the house to get roach ready to ride to Sodden Hill. The wife told Geralt what she knew of the battle, how deadly it must have been. On the outside he looked like a Witcher - emotionless and empty, unfazed by the the possible slaughter of hundreds. On the inside he was breaking, she has to okay it’s Yen she is always fine he told himself. He kept reassuring himself but couldn’t shake the feeling that he was wrong. Why didn’t she send for him, to be honest it didn’t surprise him. Yennfer would never rely on anyone even him. He was awaken from his thought by Ciri trying to saddle up one of the merchants horses.  
“No” he said with a stern voice he didn’t even look at her.  
“I’m coming” she protested trying and failing to saddle up the horse.  
“Ciri, did you not hear ? It’s a battle ground and is no place for a princess. There will be death and who knows what else. Like I said it is no place for a princess” he shouted at her, he looked almost crazy.  
“Well I’m not a princess anymore” Ciri said almost sadly, Geralt instantly regretted shouting at her. He couldn’t imagine what she had just been through.  
“Besides your going so I am too” she said firmly still fumbling about with the saddle.  
“Ciri you need to be safe, I have to go and see what’s left” Geralt said some what calmer then before.  
“You mean find Yeneffer. I don’t know who she is but I can feel how important she is to you. I want to help and you have no idea what I have been through to find you. Stop looking at me if I am helpless and weak. I’ve have been through hell and back to find you and I am not leaving” Ciri yelled back, the horrors and the pain all coming back to her.  
Geralt looked at her, he couldn’t help but think of how much this girl reminded him of Yen. He walked over to her and helped her finally sort the saddle. The mention of Yennfer’s name has finally summoned all the feelings he had been keeping at bay. When the last parted is felt like the end, she didn’t believe his feelings were real, and he should of tried harder to make her see.  
“Fine but you do everything as I say, we don’t know the outcome of the battle. We don’t know who won, we don’t know ... we don’t know who is alive” he muttered stumbling on his last few words, he couldn’t even think about his Yen being gone from the world. He helped her up and then walked over to the merchant and his wife.  
“Thank you for everything” he said to them in his deep voice. The wife looked at Ciri and back at him.  
“Promise me you will look after her” she begged him. Geralt simply nodded and turned to the merchant holding out his arm, the man took it.  
“Thank you Witcher, if it wasn’t for you I wouldn’t of seen my family again. I have to repay you shall we say the law of surprise” the merchant asked. Geralt chuckled looking at Ciri.  
“No we can call it quits and trust me I don’t need another one” with that he bid them farewell. They left swift, going fast into the forest. Sodden hill was far from the cottage, Geralt informed Ciri to keep up as they had no time to waste.

As they drew closer it became darker, the early morning sun was now hidden in ash and smoke. Geralt feared the worst as the approached, he hadn’t felt this much destruction in a long time. And someone probably one of the most important people to him was caught in the middle of it. Every breath was hard to breathe, Ciri was yet to stop coughing whilst it had little effect on the Witcher, but he even had to admit it was getting harder. They finally made it on the field leaving the safety of the woods, the two of them came to a stop looking at the view.  
The grass was stained with red and black, there was a sea of bodies everywhere. Blood and death hit their senses thickly, Ciri gasped at the sight it was something she still would never get use to seeing. The same had happen to her home, all these people she thought. Geralt was silent, he look almost scarred. His amber eyes scanned everywhere he possible could but failed to register anything. It was a bloodbath and she was here somewhere. He got off his horse and began walking with an air of hostility surrounding him. Ciri copied his movements, she was terrified but didn’t complain. 

Geralt made his way across the field, it was mid day but the smog from the previous battle was clinging to the air making the surroundings as dark as night.  
Ciri followed his path, faltering here and there as it was hard to see through the smoke. The first thing she noticed was the smell, the smell of charred skin and bones gripped everything from the scorched earth to her hair. The ground was hot as if there was a fire still burning within the soil. All though her feat became sore and tender from the heat she didn’t bit complain. Her chest felt as if it was burning, the fresh morning breeze that she felt this morning at the cottage had now ran away from Sodden Hill, something she felt that they should all be doing. But no they needed to find her, Yennfer. Ciri had no idea who she was but knew that she needed to be found, from the mention of her name hours previous to Geralt she could tell that Yennefer was important to him. 

As the went deeper within the remains of Sodden Hill it became impossible to see, it was as if they were standing in the dead of night.  
Fuck it he thought.  
“Yennefer?” He screamed across the field. Again and again the two called at to her but there was no response. Occasionally they heard a murmur from someone clinging to life, but if they were not Yen Geralt didn’t care at the moment. Ciri was trying to hold back the tears as they walked past so many of the dead. Many were young like her, they were slaughtered. Alas they continued screaming, shouting at nothing it would seem. It was strange, others had began to appear. Almost all injured but on the same mission to find someone. Names were being called from everywhere but no one answered.  
Geralt began to lose his calm he start frantically kicking anything they came into contact with, still screaming her name. Come on he begged silently you have to be here somewhere.  
“Geralt listen” Ciri called out to him pointing at something, he looked in the direction but saw nothing but smog. He listened and heard another person calling his old lover. They ran together and found a woman. She looked hurt but was screaming for Yennfer.  
“Where is she?” He grabbed the woman and forced her to look at him. She looked beaten and battered covered in ash and blood.

Tissaia looked at the Witcher, she had heard the tales and knew who he was instantly. She had so many questions but right now that wasn’t important.  
“Where is she” he shouted again, shaken the witch.  
“I don’t know but she saved us ... all of us” she said coughing up the air around them.  
“What happened to her” he begged, the calm composure he held before gone. Ciri had to pull on him to get him to stop shaking the witch.  
“We we’re failing, they were to strong so she let it go... she let the chaos explode” the woman said almost in tears. Ciri wasn’t really sure what she meant but by Geralt’s reaction it couldn’t of been good. Again all three of them took to screaming her name.  
Yennfer where the fuck are you, Geralt thought. She saved everyone but at what price, please don’t be dead. Hours had passed by and still nothing, the three searched together and they were all too scared to speak.

“Help” screamed a voice from the distance, they all took off after it, Geralt in the lead. He found a red headed witch holding onto a body. The witch was beautiful but looked tired and deflated. Her green dress destroyed and cuts everywhere. Geralt came to a stop looking at the scene, it gave a chance for the other two to catch up.  
“Triss... oh thank goodness” Tissaia called approaching her. Ciri gasped the witch had tears streaming down her face as she cradled a lifeless body.  
Geralt approach slowly his worst fears being confirmed, the body Triss was clinging to was Yen’s. Hair dressed scorched to her knees her hands had burns coming up to her elbows. And she was covered in blood.  
“Yen” Geralt cries as he knelt down next to Triss, snatching Yennefer away holding her tight to his chest. He noticed that through the smoke and the smell of blood she still smelled of lilac and gooseberries. Ciri knelt beside him while Tissaia held Triss to calm her.  
“She isn’t breathing” cried Triss lost to her tears, Geralt checked and his worst fear in the world was confined. Yennefer, his yen was not breathing. Tissaia cried into Triss and then tried to pry Yennefer from Geralt, an impossible task. He would not let her go, she couldn’t be gone, he would not let it be so. 

“You must let me see” screamed Tissaia, he let her go but held her hand, it was cold to touch. Tissaia examined her, she said a spell but nothing happened. She said more but still nothing happened. A tear finally fell from her eye and she looked up to Geralt who looked lost and shock her head. Geralt let out a scream - his heart was breaking. Ciri couldn’t help but cry, she could feel the pain of everyone around her. Tissaia who looked like such a strong woman broke and held Triss who was inconsolable and then there was Geralt. He had now gone silent and just held on to Yeneffer’s body. 

She took Yen’s face into her hands, god she was beautiful she thought. Even lifeless she looked like a force to be reckoned with. She begged to anyone who would listen, bring her back. Over and over the prayer went out, the ground started to buzz. Tissaia and Triss looked up and saw the young girl glowing. Geralt finally looked away from Yen and back at Ciri, he too noticed it and felt it. It felt like pure magic radiating from her. The area around them started to clear as if the air was being cleansed.  
Tissaia started to chant and was soon joint by Triss, Geralt has no idea what was happening he tried to get Ciri’s attention but was stopped.

“I don’t know what she is doing but do not stop her” Tissaia shouted. Geralt looked down at Yen then back at Ciri. Suddenly there was a flash that sent all Geralt, Tissaia and Triss flying through the air. The hit the ground hard in different directions, Geralt landed with his face smashing into some rocks- he groaned out in pain. And for a second everything went black. He opens his eyes and could see, the smoke was gone the air felt cleaner. Then he remembered Yen!  
He ran to where he had been thrown from and found Ciri still sitting next to a body. Her eyes were still tightly shut but she was no longer glowing, it’s like she had no idea what had just happened.  
Tissaia ran up to them, they both stopped looking at the still lifeless form of Yennefer. They’re hopeful expressions gone and returned to heartbreak. Geralt fell to the ground unable to breathe, he had lost the only woman he had ever loved and he never told her. He crawled over to her,  
“Read my mind Yen” he begged, please I love you come back to me. I need you I know you think it’s not real but I love you please. There was nothing but silence and sobbing. 

Ciri opened her eyes, she look at Geralt and whispered his name rather breathless. Geralt opened his eyes and looked down.  
Yen was opening her eyes, purple met amber. Triss screamed with joy and hugged Tissaia who was looking at Ciri with wonder.  
Geralt wouldn’t take his eyes of Yen, she looked at him confused. She has no idea what happened she just remembered releasing everything she ever felt and then there was nothing. In her last moments she thought of Geralt, her Witcher, her lover. How they should of grown old together but instead she would die here on the battle field.  
“Yen” he said breaking her away from his thoughts.  
“What happened” she asked cling to him as if he was going to disappear. 

“That’s what I want to know” Tissaia said looking at Ciri, Geralt joined the stare he had no idea what happened but Ciri need to be protected, she smiled at Geralt. It was almost as if she had no idea what she had just done. She looked a little pale and then within a flash she collapsed. Geralt left Yen in a heartbeat holding Ciri cradling her.  
“Quickly bring her” called Tissaia as she walked to the building, or what was left of it. Geralt grabbed her to him and lifted her urgently searching behind him. Triss was helping Yen stand. She looked weak but better then Ciri so Geralt followed Tissaia into the building while the two girls followed behind. 

NEXT CHAPTER  
Explore what the hell happened with Ciri and Yennfer and Geralt coming face to face with each other.


	2. Just a quick update

Hey guys,

I want to thank everyone for their love and support. I have been so busy and haven't had the time to write but don't worry. I will be posting tonight no matter what but I would love to hear some of your suggestions.

Thank you.


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